Fort Meigs

It’s easy to forget that prominent landmarks of American history can be found in our own backyard. Fort Meigs was constructed in present-day Perrysburg and was considered to be the largest wooden walled fortification in North America. The 10-acre fortification is also home to the battle which is believed to be the turning point in the War of 1812 for the American forces. The fort was built in February 1813 under the command of General (and future President) William Henry Harrison. The location was chosen along the Maumee River with the intention to provide soldiers, food, and other supplies to the war operations in Canada. When the British started to gain more and more land in America, the plan was adjusted to use the fort for defensive purposes. In 1813, 1,200 American’s withheld two sieges by the British and their Indian allies. These victories reversed the American misfortune early in the war. Shortly after the War of 1812, the fort was burnt to the ground. The Ohio Historical Society reconstructed the fort in the 1970′s and again in 2003. Today, Fort Meigs has been restored to its original glory. It is considered the largest reconstructed, wooden-walled fort in the United States.